Reflector



Feb. 8, 1938.

c. v. BERGSTROM 2,107,362

REFLECTOR Filed March 21, 1954 l6 Z4 16 W L20 ,5

INVENTOR. Qmwbrmmm ATTORNEY.

Patented Feb. 8, 1938 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE REFLECTOR Carl V. Bergstrom, Milwaukee, Wis. Application March 21, 1934, Serial No. 716,579

16 Claims.

The invention relates to reflectors and more particularly to reflectors used in display or traffic control signs that receive their illumination by reflection.

The general object of the invention is to provide an improved reflector of the so called button reflector type wherein a series of reflectors and their lenses are mounted on a sign in the form of letters or designs and form the reflecting part of said sign which part isilluminated by the headlights of oncoming road vehicles or by any other light source. According to the present invention the button reflector is formed of a metal reflector and a. glass lens mounted in a rubber socket, preferably premolded with said parts assembled therein, though it may be molded about said parts. This socket has an inside groove to retain the lens and reflector in position and where the socket is premolded, it also preferably has a stretch fit around the reflector. A plurality of the rubber sockets may also be molded in one piece with the front plate of the sign. Some advantages of the invention will now be pointed out.

The rubber socket 'being elastic, tightly grips the lens and reflector and forms, with the aid The inside of the socket and the outside of the lens and reflector may be filmed with rubber cement and the parts assembled while the cement is wet, under which conditions the cement acts as .a lubricant and the lens and reflector are virtually popped into place.

A further advantage of the rubber socket assembly is that it is cheaper than the metal sockets usually employed and eliminates the use of other parts necessary to hold the metal sockets in place and also provides a greater insurance against breakage. As hereinafter described, it simplifies and improves the connection between the reflector and the sign itself.

A further object of the invention is to provide a. rubber socket having a suction cup moulded as a part of the bottom of the button lens assembly and which acts as a cushion, take up, or

spring between the rear plate or housing and the button itself, thus providing a substantially rigid assembly between the button lenses and the sign.

Where the rubber sockets are formed as part 6 of the front of the sign, the construction of the sign is greatly simplified as in this form of the invention the usual individual button reflector assemblies and other metal parts of the sign, such as the rear housing, are eliminated. The in- 10 tegral sockets may be arranged together in the form. of letters secured to any suitable support to form the words of the sign.

The invention further consists in the several features hereinafter set forth and more particul5 larly defined by claims at the conclusion hereof.

In the drawing:

Fig. 1 is a plan view of a device embodying the invention, parts being broken away and part of the housing being shown in dotted lines;

Fig. 2 is a side elevation view of one of the reflector units;

Fig. 3 is a bottom view of the device shown in Figs. 1 and 2;

Fig. 4 is a detail sectional view taken on the 25 line 4-4 of Fig. 1 with the housing shown in full;

Fig. 5 is a detail vertical sectional view through the socket shown in Fig. 4;

Fig. 6 is a view, similar to Fig. 4, showing certain modifications; 30

Fig. 7 is a view, similar to Fig. 4, showing another modification; and

Fig. 8 is a view, similar to Fig. 5, showing certain modifications.

Referring to Figs. 1 to 5 inclusive, the device in- 35 cludes a socket l0, a button lens H and a reflector l2 for assembly to a casing including a front plate l3 and a rear plate l4 secured to the front plate by the usual clamping bolt 3|.

The socket I0 is formed of rubber sufliciently 40 soft to act as a good cushioning material and is provided with a cavity l5 forming a pocket adapted to receive the reflector l2 and the lens ll The bottom portion of the cavity I5 is cupshaped and the reflector I2 is similarly formed, preferably as a sheet metal stamping either silver or chromium plated.

The lens is a so-called button lens and has a cylindrical shank portion provided with an annular flange I 6, and its focus is arranged to throw the rays received by said lens upon the concave reflector l2.

The upper part of the reflector preferably has a tight fit with the shank of the lens and is here shown as fitting the annular recessed portion I1 below the flange l6 which portion is of somewhat smaller diameter than the part I8 of the shankabove said flange, the difference in diameters between the parts I! and I8 being substantially equal to the thickness of the reflector walls. In assembling the reflector to the lens some cement may be used in the joint to insure a good seal. I

The socket has an annular groove l9 formed therein adapted to receive the flange l6 of the lens when the lens with the reflector secured thereto is pushed or popped into place in the socket under which conditions the reflector seats at the bottom of the socket cavity and both the lens and reflector are interlocked to the socket which is in a stretched or tensioned condition and thus tightly hugs or engages the lens and reflector. The socket as above described is a premolded rubber member and on assembly the inside of the socket and the outside of thedens and reflector are filmed with .a suitable rubber The part 22 is of a size to tightly fit or has a pushed or corked flt in an opening 23 of the front plate I3 with the shoulder 2| engaging the back of said plate and held there-against by the pressure of the back plate H on the cup 20 which, because of its relatively yieldable form,

acts as a spring to tension the connection Between the socket and said plates.

The socket i0 is identical with the socket l0 except the annular part 22 is omitted sothat the top 24 engages the back oi the plate l3, whose opening 23 is spaced from the lens I I, said socket being held against the front, plate by the back plate H with the socket in a tensioned condition as inthe first described construction.

v The socket I0 is identical with the socket l0 except that the annular part 22' is shaped so that its front portioh 24 slightly overlaps the opening 23 in the front plate It, and the shoulder engaging with said plate is in the form of a yieldable annular lip or ring 25.

In each of the forms above described the socket is preferably premolded rubber member, but it may, if des d, be molded about the lens and reflector to form the complete assembly.

These assemblies are mounted in the support including the plates I3 and II, suitable provision being made tosecure the back plate It in position after the-units have been mounted in or positioned in the openings in the front plate,

and they are usually arranged to form designs or letters ofwords, a trafl'lc sign.

In Fig. 8 I have shownithe rubber socket 26 as formed integral with a front plate portion such as the word stop" for 21 of a sign which portion is preferably reinforced by an apertured metal plate 2| about which the rubberfis molded. The cavity 29 forming the socket is formed as in the previous constructions to take the reflector l2 and the lens II and is provided with an annular groove 3|l forinterlocking connection with the flange [-6 of the lens. With this construction if a 1 3$ ,breaks, the pieces may be picked out of that particular socket and the reflector removed and the socket then washed out with gasoline to dissolve the old rubber cement, and then a new lens and reflector assembly may be pushed or popped into place. The rubber may be molded in any color desired and may be formed as individual letters on ya sign: For example the letters in the word stop may be of one piece construction and suitably fastened. to the front of a metal traffic sign.

It is also to be noted that in each instance the button lens is supported in rubber and spaced from the front plate or other metal parts,- and is thus protected against shocks, and if the lens should be struck directly, the socket will yield to some extent and thus act to absorb some of the shock. Thus the rubber casing acts as an eflicient shock absorber.

The forms of the invention shown in'Figs. 4 and 6 each provide for holding the socket to the front plate by the socket itself so that said socket will not fall out when the rear plate is removed, and it is to be notedthat this feature of the construction is much simpler than metal accessories such as springs, retaining collars, looking caps, thumb screws, etc., heretofore used in this art.

I desire it to be understood that this invention is not to be limited to any particular form or arrangement of parts except in so far as such limitations are included in the claims What I claim as my invention is:

e 1. In a device of the character described, the combination of a button lens having an annular flange, a reflector, and a rubber casing having a socket in which said reflector and lens are mounted and fitted, said socket having an annular groove adapted to receive said flange, said re- 7 flector retained in position by said lens and the tensioned engagement of the bottom of said socket.

2. In a device of the character described, the combination of a button lens, a reflector mounted on said lens, and an elastic rubber casing surrounding said reflector and the sides of said lens and in tensioned engagement with the surrounded surfaces. 4 Y

3. In'a device of the character described, the combination of a button lens, a reflector, an elastic rubber casing in which said reflector and lens are mounted to form a unit, said casing hav-' ing a yieldable back portion, a front plate having an opening through which a portion of said lens projects and a surface against which a portion of said casing abuts, and a back plate engageable with said yieldable back portion, all end thrust of 'said unit beingtaken entirely by said casing.

4. In a device of the character described, the combination of a button lens, a reflector, a rubber casing in which said reflector and lens are mounted to form a unit, a front plate having an opening, said casing having a part extending through said 'opening to form a holding flt there- .with, and means engaging the back of said casing to hold it firmly against said front plate.

. 5. In a device of the character described, the

I combination of a button lens, a reflector, a rubber casing in which said reflector and lens. are

moimted to form a unit, said casing'having an annular front end portion and a shouldered portion adjacent thereto, a front plate having an opening, said annular front end portion having a holding fit in saidopening, .and means for holding said shouldered portion against the back of said plate.

6. In a device of the character described, the combination of a button lens, a reflector, a rubber casing in which said reflector and lens are mounted to form a unit, said casing having an annular front end portion and a yieldable shouldered portion adjacent thereto, a front plate having an opening, said annular front end portion having a holding fit in said opening, and means for holding said shouldered portion against the back of said plate.

7. In a device of the character described, the combination of a button lens, a reflector, a rubber casing in which said reflector and lens are mounted to form a unit, a front plate having an opening, a portion of said lens being arranged to project through said opening, said casing having a suction cup formed on its back, and means engaging said cup and cooperating with said front plate to hold said unit firmly in position.

8. In a device of the character described, the

combination of a front plate of elastic rubber and yieldable sockets integral with said plate and extending from the back thereof, a button lens and a reflector detachably mounted in each of said sockets, the walls of the socket being tensioned about said lens and reflector to hold said lens. and reflector in assembled relation.

9. In a device of the character described, the combination of a button lens having an annular recess'adjacent its base, a spherically curved reflector having a cylindrical extension fitting said annular recess, and a rubber casing contacting with said lens and the sides and base of said reflector and securing said lens and reflector in assembled relation.

10. In a device of the character described, the combination of a button lens having an annular flange intermediate its ends and an annular recess inwardly of said flanga'a spherically curved reflector having a cylindrical extension fltting said annular recess, and a rubber casing having a socket in which said reflector and lens are mounted and fitted, said casing having an annular groove adapted to receive said flange and also engaging said lens in front of said flange.

11. A reflector button mounting assembly comprising a reflector button, an elastic rubber holder having a pocket at one end receiving and gripping the rear portion of the button, a rear panel, means securing the other end of the holder to the rear panel, a front panel provided with an aperture through which the front portion of the button projects and means clamping the holder between the two panels.

12. In a device of the character described, the combination of a button lens, a separable reflector, and a yieldable rubber casing in which said reflector and lens are mounted, means on said lens having interlocking connection with said casing to prevent longitudinal movement of said,

reflector and lens relative thereto, said casing yieldingly contacting said reflector over the major portion of its area and cemented thereto in moisture proof relation.

13. In a device of the character described, the combination'of a button lens, a reflector for said lens disposed below the base thereof to reflect rays of light passing through said lens, an elastic rubber casing in which said lens and reflector are mounted and contacting with the sides of said lens and the sides and base of said reflector and securing said lens and reflector in light reflecting relation.

14. In a light reflecting device of the character described, the combination of a button lens, a reflector for said lens disposed below the base thereof to reflect rays of light passing through said lens, and an elastic rubber casing in which said reflector and lens are mounted and held thereby in light reflecting relation; said casing contacting said reflector over the major portion of its area.

15. In a device of the character described, the combination of a button lens, a reflector for said lens disposed below the base thereof to reflect rays of light passing throuli said lens,- and an elastic rubber casing surrounding said reflector and the sides of said lens and in tensioned engagement with the surrounded surfaces, the sides of said lens having a part in interlocking engagement with a part of said casing.

16. In a light reflecting device, the combination of an elastic rubber casing having a yieldable integral socket portion, a button lens and a separable reflector disposed in light reflecting relation thereto detachably mounted in said socket portion, the walls of said socket being tensioned about said lens and reflector-to hold said lens and reflector in assembled relation.

CARL v. BERGSVTROM. 

